What was the first MMA fight that felt really big to you?

[Lee Danger]

People were talking about fedor vs crocop ? Seriously ?

lol, they were and still are the two best hw of all time.

 

[loisestrad]

Cro Cop - Fedor, definitely. I was aware of MMA before, but only by watching highlights from past events, I'm old but not THAT old.

 

[BigOlJeet]

Inb4 Shertard neckbeards mention anything involving UFC 1-5

 

[Adamant]

Based on when I started watching UFC, Chuck vs Randy 2.

 

[rear naked ankle pick]

Fedor vs nog

 

[chinarice]

Royce vs Ken

 

[GluttonforPunishment]

That's a great one. I was thinking vitor and Wanderlei

 

[Gregoire1]

Cain vs JDS 1

 

[GoodBadHBK]

Chuck vs Randy for sure, I only watched 1 ufc fight prior to watching TUF 1 and I thought ufc/mma was boring. I was big into the WWF and had to see a real fight from Ken Shamrock, unfortunately that fight was against dan Severn

Machida vs Shogun 1 was the reason I joined the forums to protest and debate the decision.

 

[Dana's Moonface]

Tito vs Ken 1 UFC 40

That fight had everything you wanted in terms of rivalry, star power and on that huge WWE style stage. As well as being an awesome fight…. Or one sided beating

This

 

[World eater]

That's a great one. I was thinking vitor and Wanderlei

Before that fight I was of the opinion mma fighters were unskilled jobbers who couldn’t make it in real sports where there is actual competition. After I saw that one, I became a fan (not due to skill though, due to ferocity. But still)

 

[GluttonforPunishment]

Before that fight I was of the opinion mma fighters were unskilled jobbers who couldn’t make it in real sports where there is actual competition. After I saw that one, I became a fan (not due to skill though, due to ferocity. But still)

Feel that. Everyday people cant become fighters.

 

[Elvis.]

 

[Rampage_Jackson]

lol, they were and still are the two best hw of all time.

Sure but he's not wrong in what he's saying. It was a huge fight to real fans but it was much more of a niche back then. Nowadays a casual sports fan would hear about a big UFC fight. Back then you didn't hear anything about any fight unless you sought it out.

 

[Richard Fannin]

Obviously Fedor vs Cro Cop, but on the same card we also got Shogun vs Arona for the 2005 MWGP, which was also huuuuge
- tournament finale

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/d...FCM_182.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20131212131325
-Typical Shonen Hero with big honest smile and bright eyes and exciting style

vs big bad Villain with dark eyes , scary tiger tattoo boring styles at times and dirty tricks

-Young hopeful apprentice vs the treacherous Shredder who had defeated big brother Ninja many moons ago, plus last PRIDE event (not counting PRIDE Bushido) had tortured uncle Sakuraba in dark dungeon while PRIDE ref looked with slacked-jaw gaze, and to add further insult to injury had just beaten master Wanderlei, who had come to fight Arona representing his former rival the Gracie Hunter, wearing the Saku belt during his intro + the cap that Saku had gifted him


-Chute Boxe vs Brazilian Top Team for best fighting school in Brazil
-Good vs Evil
Shogun out-grappled ADCC juggernaut Arona. Shogun was taken down but thanks to a beautiful omoplata shoulder lock, he forced the Brazilian Tiger to sacrifice his advantageous positioning to survive the sub attempt. Every grappling enthusiast is now erect.
-Good wins in brutal fashion, master Wanderlei avenged, Chute Boxe forever


Shogun is awarded his BJJ black belt in the locker room by Nino "Elvis" Schembri (aka the godfather of gogoplata)

“Today is the happiest day of my life,” he said. “I avenged Wanderlei, knocked out Arona an even secured the 4-2 [advantage]over BTT.”

• 

Arona seethes, claims foul and swears revenge (seriously, he said that he tripped and Rua took advantage, no true loss)

 

[Deltron 6060]

I'll be honest I watched the very early UFC events and than I got disinterested for a while there in the mid to late 90s. But this fight in particular seem super epic to me at the time. Just Kimo looks like a fighter you expect in films and he lost to a guy that looks like a Ralph Macchio.

Came here to post this fight.

 

[James Krug]

Crocop/fedor

 

[ninja boot]

CroCop Fedor

mine as well. Pride tournaments back in the day were so stuffed with insane fights. We didn't know how spoiled we were

 

[NoStoneUnturned]

UFC 1. The whole damn thing. It was mind blowing to me at that time. Funny thing is that I can no longer be certain that I watched the PPV or if it was later that I rented/bought the VHS tape. Regardless, I was mesmerized by what I watched. Little dude just whipping ass and taking names.

 

[Last Falconry]

fedor / nog for sure. two best heavyweights alive, unifying the title. the kind of stuff we don't have anymore